Monitoring apparatus for detecting axial position and axial alignment of a rotating shaft
AssigneeSimmonds Precision Product, Inc.
InventorsJames R. Parkinson, Herbert F. Gee
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Axial alignment detection apparatus for a shaft rotatable about an axis includes alignment indicating means rotatable by the shaft and comprising a plurality of detectable elements; and detector means for detecting the elements and alignment of the shaft as a function of the elements; the elements comprising at least one reference element and at least one alignment dependent element, wherein the reference and alignment elements have a detectable alignment dependent relationship to each other.
Claims37
Axial alignment detection apparatus for a shaft rotatable about an axis comprising:
- a plurality of detectable elements disposed on a perimeter rotatable by the shaft;
- and a plurality of detector means radially spaced from said perimeter for detecting said elements and for producing therefrom outputs that one combined to indicate axial position and axial alignment of the shaft;
- said elements comprising at least one reference element and at least one axial position and alignment dependent element, wherein said reference and alignment elements have a detectable axial position and alignment dependent relationship to each other.
Apparatus for detecting relative axial movement between two rotatable members, comprising:
- a first plurality of detectable elements rotatable with the first member, a second plurality of detectable elements rotatable with the second member, first detector means for detecting said first elements and axial position of the first member as a function of said first elements, and second detector means for detecting said second elements and axial position of the second member as a function of said second elements;
- said first and second detector means producing first and second outputs respectively the difference of which corresponds to relative axial movement of the members independent of torque between the first and second members.
A method for setting up rotatable equipment for axial alignment and position detection, comprising the steps of:
- a. coupling a detector replica for rotation with a drive mechanism, the replica including a plurality of sensible elements;
- at least one of the elements being a reference element and another element being disposed at an angle with respect to the reference element;
- b. producing outputs from a plurality of monopole sensors disposed to detect the detector replica elements as they rotate past the sensor;
- c. combining the sensor outputs to detect alignment characteristics;
- d. replacing the detector replica with a detector operable with a rotatable member driven by the drive mechanism;
- and
- e. detecting realignment of the rotating equipment using the sensor outputs as compared to the sensor outputs when the detector replica was used.
A method for detecting alignment of a shaft rotatable about an axis comprising the steps of:
- a. rotating with the shaft a plurality of detectable elements disposed on a perimeter about the shaft with at least one element being a reference and disposed generally parallel with the rotation axis, and at least one other element being alignment and position dependent and disposed at an angle with respect to the reference element;
- b. producing outputs from a plurality of transducers disposed about the shaft, wherein each transducer is radially spaced from said perimeter and produces an output that has a characteristic that corresponds to detection of the reference and alignment elements as they pass by the transducer;
- and
- c. combining the transducer outputs to detect axial position and alignment of the shaft relative to a reference.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.